14 And madest known H3045 unto them thy holy H6944 sabbath, H7676 and commandedst H6680 them precepts, H4687 statutes, H2706 and laws, H8451 by the hand H3027 of Moses H4872 thy servant: H5650
Remember H2142 the sabbath H7676 day, H3117 to keep it holy. H6942 Six H8337 days H3117 shalt thou labour, H5647 and do H6213 all thy work: H4399 But the seventh H7637 day H3117 is the sabbath H7676 of the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 in it thou shalt not do H6213 any work, H4399 thou, nor thy son, H1121 nor thy daughter, H1323 thy manservant, H5650 nor thy maidservant, H519 nor thy cattle, H929 nor thy stranger H1616 that is within thy gates: H8179 For in six H8337 days H3117 the LORD H3068 made H6213 heaven H8064 and earth, H776 the sea, H3220 and all that in them is, and rested H5117 the seventh H7637 day: H3117 wherefore the LORD H3068 blessed H1288 the sabbath H7676 day, H3117 and hallowed H6942 it.
Now these are the judgments H4941 which thou shalt set H7760 before H6440 them. If thou buy H7069 an Hebrew H5680 servant, H5650 six H8337 years H8141 he shall serve: H5647 and in the seventh H7637 he shall go out H3318 free H2670 for nothing. H2600 If he came in H935 by himself, H1610 he shall go out H3318 by himself: H1610 if he were married, H1167 H802 then his wife H802 shall go out H3318 with him. If his master H113 have given H5414 him a wife, H802 and she have born H3205 him sons H1121 or daughters; H1323 the wife H802 and her children H3206 shall be her master's, H113 and he shall go out H3318 by himself. H1610 And if the servant H5650 shall plainly H559 say, H559 I love H157 my master, H113 my wife, H802 and my children; H1121 I will not go out H3318 free: H2670 Then his master H113 shall bring H5066 him unto the judges; H430 he shall also bring H5066 him to the door, H1817 or unto the door post; H4201 and his master H113 shall bore H7527 his ear H241 through with an aul; H4836 and he shall serve H5647 him for ever. H5769 And if a man H376 sell H4376 his daughter H1323 to be a maidservant, H519 she shall not go out H3318 as the menservants H5650 do. H3318 If she please H7451 H5869 not her master, H113 who hath betrothed H3259 her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: H6299 to sell H4376 her unto a strange H5237 nation H5971 he shall have no power, H4910 seeing he hath dealt deceitfully H898 with her. And if he have betrothed H3259 her unto his son, H1121 he shall deal H6213 with her after the manner H4941 of daughters. H1323 If he take H3947 him another H312 wife; her food, H7607 her raiment, H3682 and her duty of marriage, H5772 shall he not diminish. H1639 And if he do H6213 not these three H7969 unto her, then shall she go out H3318 free H2600 without money. H3701 He that smiteth H5221 a man, H376 so that he die, H4191 shall be surely H4191 put to death. H4191 And if a man lie not in wait, H6658 but God H430 deliver H579 him into his hand; H3027 then I will appoint H7760 thee a place H4725 whither he shall flee. H5127 But if a man H376 come presumptuously H2102 upon his neighbour, H7453 to slay H2026 him with guile; H6195 thou shalt take H3947 him from mine altar, H4196 that he may die. H4191 And he that smiteth H5221 his father, H1 or his mother, H517 shall be surely H4191 put to death. H4191 And he that stealeth H1589 a man, H376 and selleth H4376 him, or if he be found H4672 in his hand, H3027 he shall surely H4191 be put to death. H4191 And he that curseth H7043 his father, H1 or his mother, H517 shall surely H4191 be put to death. H4191 And if men H582 strive H7378 together, and one H376 smite H5221 another H7453 with a stone, H68 or H176 with his fist, H106 and he die H4191 not, but keepeth H5307 his bed: H4904 If he rise again, H6965 and walk H1980 abroad H2351 upon his staff, H4938 then shall he that smote H5221 him be quit: H5352 only he shall pay H5414 for the loss of his time, H7674 and shall cause him to be thoroughly H7495 healed. H7495 And if a man H376 smite H5221 his servant, H5650 or his maid, H519 with a rod, H7626 and he die H4191 under his hand; H3027 he shall be surely H5358 punished. H5358 Notwithstanding, H389 if he continue H5975 a day H3117 or two, H8147 he shall not be punished: H5358 for he is his money. H3701 If men H582 strive, H5327 and hurt H5062 a woman H802 with child, H2030 so that her fruit H3206 depart H3318 from her, and yet no mischief follow: H611 he shall be surely H6064 punished, H6064 according as the woman's H802 husband H1167 will lay H7896 upon him; and he shall pay H5414 as the judges H6414 determine. And if any mischief follow, H611 then thou shalt give H5414 life H5315 for life, H5315
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Nehemiah 9
Commentary on Nehemiah 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
Ne 9:1-3. A Solemn Fast and Repentance of the People.
1. Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month—that is, on the second day after the close of the feast of tabernacles, which commenced on the fourteenth and terminated on the twenty-second (Le 23:34-37). The day immediately after that feast, the twenty-third, had been occupied in separating the delinquents from their unlawful wives, as well, perhaps, as in taking steps for keeping aloof in future from unnecessary intercourse with the heathen around them. For although this necessary measure of reformation had been begun formerly by Ezra (Ezr 10:1-17), and satisfactorily accomplished at that time (in so far as he had information of the existing abuses, or possessed the power of correcting them) yet it appears that this reformatory work of Ezra had been only partial and imperfect. Many cases of delinquency had escaped, or new defaulters had appeared who had contracted those forbidden alliances; and there was an urgent necessity for Nehemiah again to take vigorous measures for the removal of a social evil which threatened the most disastrous consequences to the character and prosperity of the chosen people. A solemn fast was now observed for the expression of those penitential and sorrowful feelings which the reading of the law had produced, but which had been suppressed during the celebration of the feast; and the sincerity of their repentance was evinced by the decisive steps taken for the correction of existing abuses in the matter of marriage.
2. confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers—Not only did they read in their recent sufferings a punishment of the national apostasy and guilt, but they had made themselves partakers of their fathers' sins by following the same evil ways.
3. they … read in the book of the law—Their extraordinary zeal led them to continue this as before.
one fourth part of the day—that is, for three hours, twelve hours being the acknowledged length of the Jewish day (Joh 11:9). This solemn diet of worship, which probably commenced at the morning sacrifice, was continued for six hours, that is, till the time of the evening sacrifice. The worship which they gave to the Lord their God, at this season of solemn national humiliation, consisted in acknowledging and adoring His great mercy in the forgiveness of their great and multiplied offenses, in delivering them from the merited judgments which they had already experienced or which they had reason to apprehend, in continuing amongst them the light and blessings of His word and worship, and in supplicating the extension of His grace and protection.
Ne 9:4-38. The Levites Confess God's Manifold Goodness, and Their Own Wickedness.
4. Then stood up upon the stairs—the scaffolds or pulpits, whence the Levites usually addressed the people. There were probably several placed at convenient distances, to prevent confusion and the voice of one drowning those of the others.
cried with a loud voice unto the Lord—Such an exertion, of course, was indispensably necessary, in order that the speakers might be heard by the vast multitude congregated in the open air. But these speakers were then engaged in expressing their deep sense of sin, as well as fervently imploring the forgiving mercy of God; and "crying with a loud voice" was a natural accompaniment of this extraordinary prayer meeting, as violent gestures and vehement tones are always the way in which the Jews, and other people in the East, have been accustomed to give utterance to deep and earnest feelings.
5. Then the Levites … said, Stand up and bless the Lord your God—If this prayer was uttered by all these Levites in common, it must have been prepared and adopted beforehand, perhaps, by Ezra; but it may only embody the substance of the confession and thanksgiving.
6-38. Thou, even thou, art Lord alone, &c.—In this solemn and impressive prayer, in which they make public confession of their sins, and deprecate the judgments due to the transgressions of their fathers, they begin with a profound adoration of God, whose supreme majesty and omnipotence is acknowledged in the creation, preservation, and government of all. Then they proceed to enumerate His mercies and distinguished favors to them as a nation, from the period of the call of their great ancestor and the gracious promise intimated to him in the divinely bestowed name of Abraham, a promise which implied that he was to be the Father of the faithful, the ancestor of the Messiah, and the honored individual in whose seed all the families of the earth should be blessed. Tracing in full and minute detail the signal instances of divine interposition for their deliverance and their interest—in their deliverance from Egyptian bondage—their miraculous passage through the Red Sea—the promulgation of His law—the forbearance and long-suffering shown them amid their frequent rebellions—the signal triumphs given them over their enemies—their happy settlement in the promised land—and all the extraordinary blessings, both in the form of temporal prosperity and of religious privilege, with which His paternal goodness had favored them above all other people, they charge themselves with making a miserable requital. They confess their numerous and determined acts of disobedience. They read, in the loss of their national independence and their long captivity, the severe punishment of their sins. They acknowledge that, in all heavy and continued judgments upon their nation, God had done right, but they had done wickedly. And in throwing themselves on His mercy, they express their purpose of entering into a national covenant, by which they pledge themselves to dutiful obedience in future.
22. Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations—that is, put them in possession of a rich country, of an extensive territory, which had been once occupied by a variety of princes and people.
and didst divide them into corners—that is, into tribes. The propriety of the expression arose from the various districts touching at points or angles on each other.
the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon—Heshbon being the capital city, the passage should run thus: "the land of Sihon or the land of the king of Heshbon."
32. Now therefore, our God … who keepest covenant and mercy—God's fidelity to His covenant is prominently acknowledged, and well it might; for their whole national history bore testimony to it. But as this could afford them little ground of comfort or of hope while they were so painfully conscious of having violated it, they were driven to seek refuge in the riches of divine grace; and hence the peculiar style of invocation here adopted: "Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy."
36. Behold, we are servants this day—Notwithstanding their happy restoration to their native land, they were still tributaries of a foreign prince whose officers ruled them. They were not, like their fathers, free tenants of the land which God gave them.
37. it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins—Our agricultural labors have been resumed in the land—we plough, and sow, and till, and Thou blessest the work of our hands with a plentiful return; but this increase is not for ourselves, as once it was, but for our foreign masters, to whom we have to pay large and oppressive tribute.
they have dominion over our bodies—Their persons were liable to be pressed, at the mandate of their Assyrian conqueror, into the service of his empire, either in war or in public works. And our beasts are taken to do their pleasure.
38. we make a sure covenant, and write—that is, subscribe or sign it. This written document would exercise a wholesome influence in restraining their backslidings or in animating them to duty, by being a witness against them if in the future they were unfaithful to their engagements.